REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
July 28, 2020
FROM
LUTHER SNOKE, Interim Director, Flood Control District
SUBJECT
Title
Mitigated Negative Declaration for West Fontana Channel Project, Unincorporated Fontana Area
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Flood Control District:
1. Adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration for the West Fontana Channel (Banana Basin to Hickory Basin) Flood Control Improvement Project, Unincorporated Fontana Area (Project).
2. Adopt the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the Project.
3. Approve the Project as defined in the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration.
4. Direct the Clerk of the Board to file and post the Notice of Determination for the Project.
(Presenter: Brendon Biggs, Chief Flood Control Engineer, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General funding (Net County Cost). The San Bernardino County Flood Control District (District) is funded by property taxes, fees, and other local, state, and federal funding. The requested administrative actions to adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration and file and post the Notice of Determination will have minimal financial impact. Sufficient appropriation has been included in the District’s 2020-21 budget (1910002518- F02612).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines require that an environmental document be prepared, circulated for public review and comment, and adopted by the Board of Supervisors (Board) prior to the Board’s approval of the Project. By adopting the Mitigated Negative Declaration pursuant to CEQA, the Board is finding that the Project will not have a significant effect on the environment after implementation of the mitigation measures identified in the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND). The purpose of the aforementioned document is to disclose and incorporate mitigation measures to avoid any potentially significant effects to the environment resulting from the proposed Project. Satisfaction of the CEQA requirements will allow the District to apply for the environmental permits needed to construct the Project.
The Project consists of modifying an existing undersized earthen flood control channel to meet master plan drainage requirements to provide for increased health and safety in the area. The proposed modifications include construction of non-grouted rock slope protection, sections of rectangular concrete channel and transition lengths and three concrete box culverts. Two of these culverts would replace existing culverts at the adjacent railway bridges near Hickory Basin and the third triple cell culvert would replace the pipe culverts under Calabash Avenue. The overall Project length is approximately 0.6 miles. The rectangular concrete channel portion is approximately 200 feet long, not including transition lengths to the proposed culvert sections. The proposed concrete box culverts together are approximately 350 feet in total length. The work would also include construction of junction structures to accommodate future connections as described in the Master Plan of Drainage to facilitate well-planned and balanced development.
The Project includes the replacement of the concrete facing for the outflow weir of Banana Basin as well as construction of two access ramps/service roads and replace one existing access ramp. The Project also includes necessary utility potholing and geotechnical testing components, ancillary activities such as maintenance on Whittram Avenue from construction traffic, any needed fencing, minor grading in Banana Basin, and equipment parking and staging. All activities would be conducted within the proposed Project disturbance area, with improvements occurring entirely within flood control right-of-way except at the railway crossing. The Project may be constructed in two phases, with construction expected to occur intermittently over 12 months beginning in mid-2021.
The Environmental Management Division (EMD) prepared a CEQA IS/MND for the Project and published a Notice of Intent (NOI) for the Project was published in the San Bernardino County Sun newspaper on March 2, 2020. Copies of the IS/MND were circulated to responsible and trustee agencies and interested parties and were also made physically available at the District and electronically on the District website. The IS/MND was also submitted to the Office of Planning and Research, State Clearinghouse for state agency review for a period of 30 days beginning March 3, 2020, (State Clearinghouse No. 2006121089).
EMD received one comment during the public review period from the Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians - Kizh Nation. In response to that comment letter, the document has incorporated an additional mitigation measure to the draft IS/MND in the final IS/MND. This addition will not result in new significant impacts, nor has an impact increased. Mitigation measures proposed for the Project include the inclusion of a Native American tribal monitor and prescribed methods for the handling and preservation of any unanticipated cultural or paleontological finds during excavation as well as nesting bird surveys prior to construction.
Since all of the potential environmental impacts can be adequately mitigated during Project construction, the District recommends adoptions of the IS/MND and a filing of the Notice of Determination with the Clerk of the Board.
PROCUREMENT
Not Applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Sophie A. Akins, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on June 9, 2020; Finance (Jessica Trillo, Administrative Analyst, 387-4222) on June 30, 2020; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on July 12, 2020.